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Thursday, June 11, 2009

What do you experience when there is just silence around you? No TV, no radio, no computer, no aircon, no cars, just silence! Do you become anxious? Maybe you even panic?! Or is that a moment in which you can think clearly, reflecting on the events of the day? Perhaps you use such time to reflect on deeper things, like the meaning of life, or your faith in Jesus Christ! As Dr. Albert Mohler writes:

"Our culture now assumes noise and the constant availability ofmusic, electronic chatter, and entertainment. In many homes, there isvirtually no silence -- at least during waking hours. In some homes,family members live in isolated environments of independent sound, withiPods, televisions, radios, and any number of other technologiesproviding a customized experience of noise.

"All this takes a toll upon the soul. Psychologists argue that thedevelopment of individual identity requires extended periods ofsolitude, reflection, and silence. The Christian tradition has honoredsilence as a matter of spiritual discipline and an intentional effortto flee the noise of everyday life in order to hear what that noisecannot supply.

"The life of the mind and the shaping of the soul require the ability tohear, recognize, and understand what would be lost in a cachophany ofsound."